Johnny Chestnut

Bonjour, Hallo, ¡Hola! My name is Johnny Chestnut. I'm in the class of 2011 and I am a multi-language major and education minor. I spent my sophomore year in the beautiful city of Rouen, the capitol of Normandy, France.

I do not think a better program could have been designed to fit my needs. The fall program was incredibly well structured giving direction to students while at the same time providing enough flexibility to explore other opportunities that would be rare to find in the United States. We were forced to watch, learn participate and assimilate into the French lifestyle.

Having to do everything in French was very daunting at first. I had taken French 200 and 202 at SLU my freshman year in preparation for study abroad, but I was personally uncomfortable with my abilities. My first two weeks in France perpetuated my uncertainties and I felt as though I barely understood anything. However, as time went on I came to realize the program caters to this problem and helps students with the transition. By the end of the first month I felt as though I had made a nice transition. St. Lawrence has done an amazing job to create a balance between providing guidance to students as well as allowing them to develop independence so they can dive into a new pool and learn to swim in a culture and environment different from their own.

During the spring semester we were permitted a great deal of freedom in terms of selecting our courses and devising a curriculum to our liking. After winter break was over, we were all sitting down in our classes next to French students and expected to work at the same level as them. One of the most exhilarating feelings I had was one day in class when I realized I was furiously scratching down notes about Molière. I looked around and every other French student was doing the same as me. It's a great rush to know that you can hold your own in another language. Anyone considering staying for the year, I highly recommend to start planning now because this is an opportunity you don't want to miss.